Compare towns
Wells vs New Castle vs Ogunquit vs Gray
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
New Castle has the most expensive homes ($1701k median).
Ogunquit has grown the fastest since 2010 (+76.8%).
Gray has the most affordable homes ($364k median).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Wells | New Castle | Ogunquit | Gray |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | ||||
| People | ||||
| Population | 11,713Highest |
827Lowest |
1,379 |
8,429 |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | +18% U.S.: +7.4% |
+3.3%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+76.8%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
+6.5% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 53.6±3.8 38% above U.S. |
62.8±6Highest 61% above U.S. |
62.8±4.8Highest 61% above U.S. |
43.4±4.5Lowest 12% above U.S. |
| Kids under 18 | 18%±3.4 U.S.: 22% |
12.9%±7.1 U.S.: 22% |
5.7%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 22% |
19%±4Highest U.S.: 22% |
| Gray and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Age 65+ | 31%±3.3 U.S.: 17.2% |
44.3%±16.1Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
43.6%±10.1 U.S.: 17.2% |
19.3%±4Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
| New Castle and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 43.3%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
68.8%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
63.5% U.S.: 35.7% |
44.8% U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 4.5%±1.5 U.S.: 6.4% |
0.6%±1.8Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
4.2%±2.8 U.S.: 6.4% |
5.4%±2.2Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Gray and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Cost of living | ||||
| Household incomemedian | $88,024±$11kLowest 9% above U.S. |
$176,953±$29kHighest 119% above U.S. |
$114,259±$56k 42% above U.S. |
$95,236±$8k 18% above U.S. |
| New Castle and Ogunquit are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $485,300±$23k 46% above U.S. |
$1,701,300±$267kHighest 411% above U.S. |
$875,700±$79k 163% above U.S. |
$363,700±$20kLowest 9% above U.S. |
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $1,350±$297Lowest 4% below U.S. |
$3,501Highest 148% above U.S. |
— | $1,371±$89 about the U.S. average |
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,215Lowest 3% above U.S. |
$8,509Highest 173% above U.S. |
$4,473 43% above U.S. |
$3,683 18% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 42.1%±19.6 U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±85.7Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
0%±61.1Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
56.4%±24Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
| Gray and Wells are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Below poverty line | 6.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
4.6% U.S.: 12.5% |
3.2%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
3.5% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | ||||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 90.1% U.S.: 65.2% |
93% U.S.: 65.2% |
94.3%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
82.4%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1989Highest 9 yrs newer than U.S. |
1975Lowest 5 yrs older than U.S. |
1978 2 yrs older than U.S. |
1983 3 yrs newer than U.S. |
| Getting to work | ||||
| Average commuteone way | 28 min 4% above U.S. |
33 minHighest 23% above U.S. |
26 minLowest about the U.S. average |
29 min 8% above U.S. |
| Work from home | 17.8%±4.2 U.S.: 15.1% |
40.1%±19.4 U.S.: 15.1% |
43.3%±12.4Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
12.3%±3.5Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Ogunquit and New Castle are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | ||||
| Schools | ||||
| Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading | #22 of 133 in ME | — | — | #10 of 133 in ME |
| School district | Wells-Ogunquit CSD | New Castle School District | — | RSU 15/MSAD 15 · Fiddlehead School of Arts and Sciences |
| High school in town | Wells High School | None in town | — | Gray-New Gloucester High School |
| Students per teacherat that high school | 11.4Lowest |
— | — | 12.5Highest |
| On TownTapestry | ||||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.